Trump urges Ahmed al-Sharaa to normalize ties with Israel
Published May 14th, 2025 - 07:58 GMT A handout picture provided by the Saudi Royal Palace shows Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) watching as US President Donald Trump (C) shakes hands with Syria's interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh on May 14, 2025. PHOTO / SAUDI ROYAL PALACE / BANDAR AL-JALOUD
ALBAWABA - US President Donald Trump called on Syria to normalize relations with Israel and join the Abraham Accords, AFP reported on Wednesday.
© 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Bawaba
2 hours ago
- Al Bawaba
Iran closes western airspace amid ceasefire tensions and security fears
ALBAWABA- Iran will shut its western and central airspace to passenger aircraft starting Thursday, the country's transportation ministry announced, reversing a brief reopening following a ceasefire with Israel. Also Read Over 170 killed in Gaza in 24 hours as Israel intensifies assault Ministry spokesman Majid Akhavan said Iran's civil aviation coordination committee ordered the closure, citing "security and safety concerns." The decision comes just days after Tehran allowed international transit flights to resume over those regions. Iran's Civil Aviation Organization announced on Wednesday that only a limited number of airports in eastern Iran — including Mashhad, Zahedan, Chabahar, Zabol, and Birjand — will continue to provide limited service to nearby provinces or neighboring countries. — Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) July 2, 2025 'Only the eastern half of the country's airspace remains open to domestic, international, and transit flights,' Akhavan said. He confirmed that major airports, including Tehran's Mehrabad and Imam Khomeini airports, will stay closed, with flight cancellations extended until 14:00 local time on Thursday. Iran had partially reopened its skies on June 25, one day after a ceasefire was declared, to facilitate international flights and the return of tens of thousands of Iranian pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia after Hajj. The sudden reversal raises new concerns amid fears that Israel may violate the ceasefire. Speculation is mounting that renewed Israeli attacks could target Iranian territory, possibly in retaliation for reported damage to its nuclear facilities. Also Read Iran denies report of violating ceasefire Tensions are further heightened ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's upcoming visit to Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump has framed the meeting as a "celebration" of Israeli attacks on Iran. Meanwhile, Israeli officials have issued threats of further strikes. In response to the escalating situation, Iran has suspended cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a move ratified by President Masoud Pezeshkian and the Iranian parliament. Tehran has accused the IAEA of failing to protect its nuclear facilities and playing a "negative role" in the crisis.
Al Bawaba
4 hours ago
- Al Bawaba
Over 170 killed in Gaza in 24 hours as Israel intensifies assault
ALBAWABA- At least 70 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip since dawn Wednesday, including 11 civilians who were targeted while waiting for humanitarian aid. The death toll over the past 24 hours has surged to more than 170, making it one of the deadliest days in Israel's ongoing war on Gaza. Among the victims was the director of Gaza's Indonesia Hospital, who was killed alongside his wife and five children in an Israeli airstrike. Six more people were reported killed in Khan Younis. The situation inside the reception department is catastrophic. No doctors to follow up on patients, no proper spaces for care, and no enough ambulances for emergency cases. — TIMES OF GAZA (@Timesofgaza) July 2, 2025 At the same time, Gaza's Health Ministry said over 600 Palestinians have been killed and more than 4,278 wounded at Gaza Health Facilities (GHF) alone since the start of Israel's military campaign. Israeli officials have continued to issue menacing rhetoric, with one declaring, 'Everything will turn to dust' in Gaza City, a stark reflection of the scorched-earth strategy being pursued. Since the war began in October 2023, at least 57,012 Palestinians have been killed and 134,592 injured, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. In the last 24 hours alone, 142 bodies were brought to hospitals, and 487 people were injured. Many more remain trapped under rubble as ongoing bombardments severely hinder rescue operations. Israel resumed full-scale attacks on March 18, violating a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal brokered earlier this year. Since then, an additional 6,454 Palestinians have been killed and 22,551 wounded. In parallel, diplomatic efforts are ongoing. Hamas announced it is reviewing what U.S. President Donald Trump has described as a "final" ceasefire proposal. The group said it conducts "national consultations" on proposals from the Egyptian and Qatari mediators. Hamas stated that its priority is to reach an agreement that ensures an end to the aggression, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid. President Trump claimed that Israel had agreed to a 60-day truce and warned Hamas that rejecting the deal would only lead to further devastation. "It will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE," he said. In his first public remarks since Trump's announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his hardline stance: 'There will not be a Hamas. There will not be a Hamastan. We're not going back to that. It's over.' Meanwhile, legal pressure continues to mount. In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Jordan News
5 hours ago
- Jordan News
Major Deals Are Forged in Moments of Exhaustion… What Does the Trump-Netanyahu Meeting Hold for the Region?
Every time a political meeting draws near between figures like U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, I find myself asking the same question: Are we witnessing a routine political move, or a pivotal moment in the region's ongoing conflicts? اضافة اعلان This time, in particular, the upcoming meeting between the two men—expected next week—seems to go beyond media theatrics or mere rapprochement. What is being prepared behind the scenes of this meeting extends far beyond Gaza; it touches on the future of the confrontation with Iran and the restructuring of the Syrian scene through what appear to be major geopolitical bargains. For weeks, I've been closely monitoring Tel Aviv's fluctuating stance between de-escalation and escalation. Notably, the Israeli mood appears increasingly inclined toward military resolution, especially following its open confrontation with Iran. In my view, Israel will not let that clash pass without a more impactful response—not necessarily a large-scale strike that could ignite a regional war, but through precise, calculated operations that would weaken Tehran's capabilities and redraw red lines. I am almost certain that Trump, with his aggressive political nature, will not oppose this direction; rather, he will provide it with the cover it needs. What grabs my attention even more is the growing discussion around Syria. Talk is beginning to circulate within regional decision-making circles about a different kind of deal: a peace treaty between Syria and "Israel" in exchange for a full lifting of sanctions on Damascus. In my opinion, what once seemed far-fetched is now increasingly plausible. Given Syria's crushing economic crisis and the waning of Iranian influence in the region, Moscow could play a new mediating role—provided its interests in Syria and the broader region are secured. Some may see this notion as far-fetched, but I believe that Middle Eastern politics is used to forging grand bargains in times of exhaustion—when parties become willing to make concessions that were once unthinkable. I believe Syria may be approaching such a moment regarding the issue of peace, which could offer a glimpse of hope to break free from a crisis it has been trapped in for years. From this perspective, I see the upcoming Trump-Netanyahu meeting as one that will go beyond Gaza, diving directly into the Iran file, Syria, and perhaps even the future of the rules of engagement in Lebanon. The coming days will reveal whether we are on the brink of a new military escalation against Tehran, or on the verge of major understandings that will reshape the regional balance of power. In either case, I believe the Middle East is heading toward a critical turning point—where the logic of power intersects with strategic calculations, and where the outcome of upcoming unannounced meetings will determine the fate of wars and crises that have persisted for years.
